Bulletin (PDF 18.3 MB) - City of Armadale

Information BulletinCorrespondence & PapersPage Cor-23"The bipartisan commitment to constitutional reform offers a unique opportunity to kickstartthe reconciliation momentum. Let's build on that momentum and develop a broaderstrategy to address the unfinished business of reconciliation," says Dr Janet Hunt, ANTaRPresident.ANTaR's report makes a number of recommendations aimed at resetting relationships,respecting rights and resourcing reconciliation activities and groups. These include aproposed process for negotiated agreement-making, a broad and consultative constitutionalreform process and a plan to close the Indigenous health gap."ANTaR looks forward to working with Indigenous organisations and communities,governments and the broader community to seize the current momentum and create areconciled future based on recognition, rights and respect," said Dr Hunt.The report is available for download on Friday at www.antar.org.au.Councils from Murray Darling Basin convene in CanberraCouncils from the Murray Darling Basin met in Canberra this week to discuss areas ofcommon concern regarding the Murray Darling Basin Plan. Councils finalised a Declaration ofConcern, which was presented to Ministers, Shadow Ministers, and Members of Parliamentwho accepted the group's invitation to attend the meeting.According to Cr Geoff Dobson, Mayor of Greater Shepparton City Council and Cr Keith denHouting, Mayor of Gannawarra Shire Council, who co-chaired the event, the meeting was aresounding success. "We came to Canberra with one purpose, which was to communicate topoliticians of all persuasions our genuine concerns about what will happen to ourcommunities if the final Murray Darling Basin Plan looks anything like the Guide."While the Murray River Group of Councils and Greater Shepparton City Council support thebasic intent of the Plan, which is to return water to the environment, we believe that thiscannot be achieved at the expense of our communities. Our families and our communitiesare equally important environments that we need to protected", said Cr Dobson.Meanwhile, federal Water Minister Tony Burke has hosted a roundtable of farmers andirrigators with the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. The Prime Minister met with representativesfrom farming organisations including the National Farmers Federation, the NationalIrrigators Council, Irrigation Australia, Citrus Australia and the Winemakers Association ofAustralia. The Prime Minister and Minister for Water Tony Burke were joined by Minister forRegional Development Simon Crean and Minister for Agriculture Joe Ludwig.Alcohol-free zones extended in NSWDrunken revellers are forcing local councils across the state to expand New Year's Evealcohol-free zones to keep the event family-friendly.More than two-thirds of vantage points with views of the Harbour Bridge are now dry, andsome councils have banned alcohol altogether.In regional NSW councils are also increasing the number of alcohol-free areas and cuttingmidnight fireworks displays.